Gunfire Heard Near Minister Smotrich's Event in Lod

Gunshots were heard Saturday evening near a residents' meeting held by the Religious Zionism party in Lod, which was attended by Minister Bezalel Smotrich and candidate Itamar Itam. Hundreds of residents were present at the event, where Smotrich presented a plan to combat illegal weapons and organized crime in the Arab community. Smotrich linked the gunfire to the prevalence of weapons in the Arab sector, citing Shin Bet data indicating over one million illegal firearms. "This should concern all citizens of Israel," Smotrich stated, calling the number of weapons a national security threat. He warned that weapons used for criminal purposes could also be employed for nationalistic incidents, emphasizing the potential for a rapid shift from criminal to nationalistic violence. Smotrich outlined a proposed national emergency measure to combat organized crime, which he intends to advance alongside his plan for the "Judaization of the Negev and Galilee." The measure would include legal oversight and aim to dismantle "armed Arab autonomy" with "exceptional and draconian tools." The proposed legislation would classify illegal weapons possession as terrorism, involve the Shin Bet in addressing the issue, and include administrative arrests, evidentiary presumptions, and minimum sentences. The plan also features economic measures against crime organizations, halting state protection payments, and establishing a safety net for those refusing to pay extortion money, alongside increased enforcement of related offenses under what he termed the "Giuliani model."